Location: Douro
Website address: http://www.niepoort-vinhos.com/
From wacky maverick to the highest profile and most respected winemaker in the Douro Valley, Dirk Niepoort’s journey has been a long one, even if it has
been in a pretty short time. But at least in the last few years he hasn’t been on the road by himself, but rather assembled an incredible team of talent to
help take Niepoort to even greater heights. Luis Seabra and Nick Delaforce looking after wines and ports respectively, whilst Verena Niepoort, José Teles and
Rodrigo Nogueira (now like the Niepoort family themselves, now in their 5th generation of service to this remarkable business) oversee things from Porto.
Niepoort’s breath-taking new winery (at Quinta Nápoles) has given the winemaking team more scope to develop and new lodges (in addition to,
rather than instead of the original one) in Gaia have improved the capacity for bottling and dispatch.
Dynamism is not at the expense of Niepoort’s core values.
As you turn off the Régua to Pinhão road and look up the Tedo valley nothing prepares you for the sight of what must be one of the
world’s most breathtaking wineries.
Two adjacent schist-clad concrete steps nestle perfectly in the contoured terraced landscape as if rising out of the river. Serenity amidst the maelstrom of wine and rock!
This is the centre of Niepoort’s unfortified wine creativity.
As one of Dirk’s peers pondered, the quality of the winery has finally caught up with his wines! Big and bold to behold, warm and soulful, with form and
function seamlessly balanced. Where does he go from here? That is for us to look forward to.
For now though we have plenty to enthuse about, from Dirk and his team. He seems to grasp better than most the possibilities the region offers in grapes, terrain and aspect.
He never tires of challenges and is uniquely creative with his styles, born of his passion for wines from all around the globe and his roots in this unique terroir.
Redoma Branco
Current Vintage: 2010
Very fine aroma mineral and citric notes, apricots aromas, slight smoky character, quite elegant. Citric and mineral fresh flavour. Along with apricots and
almonds notes. Good volume with great freshness the wood is very well integrated with a long and complex final.
2010: 92 points, Wine Enthusiast, June 2012
Redoma Branco Reserva
Current Vintage: 2009
An delicate array of citrus and stone fruits and yeasty bread and smoky characters, very fine and restrained. On the palate it has great poise and elegance with long and
persistent flavours. Something close to a great Monrachet!
The “Redoma Reserva†Branco is sourced from high altitude old vineyards with vines averaging 60 to 100 years old. This is
principally a blend of Rabigato, Codega, Donzelinho, Viosinho and Arinto. It spent eight months in French oak. It is somewhat fuller in the mouth than the regular
bottling, with a better finish, and somewhat higher perceptible acidity, an earthier, more intense and more powerful wine than the regular bottling, which seems open and
drinkable now. The Reserva could use a little cellar time, at which time it should surpass the regular bottling. It is beautifully structured, and grows on you. This is a very
serious white wine from a Douro producer who obviously intends to make a statement for white wines as well as reds.Â
Tiara
Current Vintage: 2009
An delicate array of citrus and stone fruits, refreshing palate with bags of flavour and length.
The grapes are sourced from high altitude old vineyards with vines averaging 60 to 100 years old. This is principally a blend of Rabigato, Codega, Donzelinho, Viosinho and
Arinto. Fermented in tank and aged on fine lees for a few months.
Batuta
Current Vintage: 2008 / 2009
Dark intense colour and aroma with great complexity, with concentrated black fruit, spicy intense notes of black and green pepper, and elegant balsamic notes
along with tobacco and earthy aromas; ending with coffee, moka and toasty aromas.
Wide palate, very precise and tight, with fruitiness and impressive mineralty. Fine and seductive tannic structure linked to long persistence ending. Certainly a wine for the
next decades.
2009: 95 Points, Wine Enthusiast, June 2012
Charme
Current Vintage: 2008 / 2009
A unique view of the Douro, Charme is part homage to great Burgundy.
2009: 93/100 Wine Spectator, June 2012
Redoma Tinto
Current Vintage: 2008
Redoma Is sourced from Quinta de Náploes and a couple of vineyards in the Pinhão valley. It is Dirk’s
“true†Douro red , expressing the place.
This wine is made from a mixed varietal blend (principally Tinta Amarela, Tinta Roriz and Touriga Franca) from a 60-year-old vineyard, although some older vines were used as
well. It was raised for eighteen months in French oak.
2009: 92/100 Wine Spectator, June 2012
2009: 93 points, Wine Enthusiast, June 2012
Also available but only Ex Cellars:
2006 – A vibrant and weighty red
2005 – Quite muscular and ripe fruited
Redoma Rosé
Current Vintage: 2010
Perfoms like a classy light Pinot Noir, yet with the ripe nuances of Douro grapes.
Niepoort launched the first Rosé in 1999, proving that serious and high-quality wines may also be coloured pink. Contrary to the typical winemaking of
Rosé, Redoma Rosé is fermented in new French oak casks after free run juice from traditional stone lagares,. Complexity is obtained by a long skin
contact. Old vineyards from Quinta de Napóles and other vines close to Pinhão are used for Redoma Rosé.
Vertente Tinto
Current Vintage: 2009
Dark ruby color, spicy character with black pepper notes, black and red fruit aromas, mineral and light smoky character from the age in barrel. The palate is fruity, and the
tannins are smooth with very good persistence, fine and elegant.
2009: 92/100 Wine Spectator, June 2012
Drink Me Red
Current Vintage 2010
Boasting a wonderfully eccentric label by Phil Mulloy, the 2009 combines 2009 ripeness with plenty of minerally Douro character.
"Much of Dirk Niepoort's prolific output is designed to age for years and is sold at high prices (although they are no more expensive than many French wines half as good).
This one, however, is very accessibly made and priced: with explosive red and black fruits, its supple , succulent and moreish."
- Observer Food Monthly, David Williams, 20th February 2012
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